iTunes is slowly driving me over the edge...

[p_rod]

Let me get this out right up front. My first Apple product was an iPhone, and yes, I was a PC user in those early days, and iTunes almost made me pitch my new iPhone into the nearest dumpster. Thankfully, my wife, an avid Mac user at her workplace bought me an iMac and I haven't looked back. But I still hate, not dislike, but hate iTunes. I know, I know, many of you will tell me iTunes was never well configured to work with PC's, but hey, IMHO, it still doesn't work all that well. If Steve Jobs were still with us, I am convinced we'd probably have an iTunes that works. Enuff of that. I'll get off my soapbox now

Now, for the current problem that I just cannot make go away. Trust me, I've looked in every corner of the Internet but yet to find a cure.

I am currently using a late 2011 MacBook Air, running 10.9.5 Mav. I do use iCloud backup for my iPhone (an older 4S, running IOS 7.1.2 ((I am not convinced the new IOS 8 would even run on this antique phone)) but I also like to backup the phone to my MBA about once a week.

Here's the problem.....

1) Before the iPhone backup is even complete, I get a pop up box stating: "There are apps on Pat's iPhone which are not in your iTunes library. Would you like to back up these apps from your iPhone? I click on Back up Apps.

2) Another window opens.."There are purchases on Pat's iPhone that are not in the iTunes Library. Would you like to transfer these purchases from your iPhone? I click Transfer Purchases.

3) Window 3 opens.... This computer is no longer authorized for apps that are installed on the iPhone. Would you like to authorize this computer? (If you do not authorize, 23 apps and their data will be deleted from the iPhone. I click Authorize button.

4) Window 4 opens.... this is where it gets interesting...... In the e-mail address window, there is an e-mail addy I use daily BUT it is NOT my Apple ID addy. I delete that addy, type in my Apple ID and password, hit Authorize....

I logged into my Apple ID, checked all the parameters on the site and did NOT see the suspicious e-mail addy on their site. I never joined up with that old addy, I only use my Apple ID and me.com address for iTunes purchases. Why is that address even popping up? It is present on all my machines and my iPhone because it's my 'junk' address......my me.com addy is only known by about 10 people,and of course, Apple.

5) Window 5 pops open, stating This computer is already authorized. I hit OK, and...

6) Window 6 pops up saying This computer is no longer authorized.......


and the cycle begins again........and again..........and again...........

I've looked all over for a cure before coming here. No luck.

My current iTunes version is the latest one... 12.0.1.26

After reading some of the problems even the gurus here have been having with this new version I wish I'd never updated it. But too late, as they say replacing it with the older version is more of a pain than the sorry state of the new program is so they are living with it.

I have yet to update to Yosemite...I hope that isn't the problem here. I'll do it if you think it will help....I'll have to re-learn how to download it to a thumb drive and do a clean install (I have only done that once, with Mav, with a load of help fem this site; but haven't done it often enough to remember all the salient points).

So with hat hand, I ask for any ideas on what's up with my iTunes?

As always, TIA!

Cheers!

Pat

 

[MacInWin]

I get that occasionally. My problem is I have two Apple IDs, and I somehow got one (lets call it ID1) associated with iTunes on my MBP and the other (ID2) associated with my iPhone. So if I buy something from the App store on my iPhone, iTunes starts me down that path you see. What I end up having to do is go through that process of authorizing the computer for each and every such purchase. It feels like iTunes is reverting to ID1 as soon as it gets authority for an app for ID2. Eventually I work through the list and all is well. I've learned NOT to buy stuff on the iPhone, just on iTunes, so that the chances of it happening are reduced.

So, is it possible you have the same situation?

 

[MBP17•David]

Like Jake said, this sounds like multiple Apple ID situation.

This shouldn't really be a problem: I actually have three different ones: UK iTunes store; US iTunes store and iCloud, and the only inconvenience I experience is having to log out with one and back with another when there a few apps, purchased in two different stores, needing updating at the same time.

 

[p_rod]

Jake and David:

Thanks for the replies.

I may have a double identity, but even when I log into the Apple ID site my 'junk' e-mail address is not there. I'll call it ID-1 (good idea, Jake). I've never made a purchase under ID-1 from iTunes and just can't figure out why ID-1 'kidnaps' my MBA and/or iPhone whenever I try to make a purchase.

There are about 28 apps on the iPhone that won't back up due to my computer not being "authorized" (although it is, or so I'm told) until I hit the OK button and it unauthorizes itself again.

I guess I'll just live with it....sure doesn't seem to be a fix for it here or anywhere else on the web.

Thanks, guys.

Pat

 

[Rod]

p_rod, what email address (Apple ID) did you use when you originally set up your current OS on your computer?
If you used ID1 then your computer will be permanently associated with that ID.
If you wanted the same ID to appear on your iPhone you will need to either Delete your iCloud account on you iPhone and make it the same as the ID on your Computer or change the Apple ID associated with your computer to match your iPhone.
I recently put all my iCloud and iTunes services under one (my original) Apple ID. This was a gMail address and a password. My iTunes was on this account but my other iCloud services like find my iPhone were on my @me.com account. I had to do it this way to preserve my App store an iTunes purchases. I also changed my Apple ID Password and initiated two step verification for my account.
Believe me I would not recommend it to anyone who does not have a couple of free days and a reliable internet connection. But I got it done and I now understand the process a lot better as well as the pitfalls.

 

[p_rod]

Hey Rod!

Thanks so much for the input! I really appreciate it.

I originally set up my Apple account with a me.com e-mail address and password. Any purchases made, either on the iPhone or my MBAir or on the iMac were done using this e-mail address and password.

Now, whenever I try to do a backup, I get all the problems just outlined in my post above. I just tried to backup again because there is a very good chance when my spouse gets home we are heading out to replace both our phones (hers is an older 4).

It just rags me that this has been a problem now for several months and I cannot find a solution.

I have gone to the Apple site to see if my ID#2 (the one that pops up when iTunes asks me to log in) and it does not exist on the Apple site, the only one there is my original me.com address. And I still do not understand why my iPhone even inserts address #2 during the backup process and verification process.

Again, I thank you for your input. And I just may do what you suggested. ****, nothing else has worked. Maybe I just need to go in to Apple, delete everything and start all over.

I'll search their site again for a solution but it's doubtful I'll find one short of doing what you suggested. I was hoping I'd get some answers here....not many other places to turn, other than the Genius Bar down the street....and I am not too sure they'll know what to do either.

Thanks, Rod!

Cheers!

Pat

...maybe I'll just get a 99 cent flip phone and move on. I could certainly stand to save some $$$$$

 

[MacInWin]

Well, if you choose to get new iPhones, ask at the Apple store about it. Maybe they can shed more light than we, then you can come back and educate us all!

 

[Rod]

Too right, we are always happy to learn. Might I say at least you are lucky to have a Genius Bar just down the street. I often find that seemingly complex problems have amazingly simple answers. Often we just cant see the wood for the trees.
I hope they sort your problem out, I am really puzzled by this ID #2 issue, I wish I could have "hands on" but that is one of the disadvantages of a forum.
Good Luck,
Rod

 

[p_rod]

Thanks, you two! If I do find a solution you can bet I'll bump this topic and share the solution with y'all. It's not that often I can provide answers for anyone here (at least when it comes to these wonderful but often confusing machines we all use).

Cheers!

Pat

 

[domlanic]

All of this begs the question WHY is there not a single GLOBAL iTunes Store?
Even if we were all forced to use the U.S. one...

Ah, I know- that would make far too much sense!

 

[MacInWin]

Intellectual property rights vary from country to country, that's one reason. There actually IS a global iTunes store in the sense that it's all Apple-controlled, but what you can do in any given location from which you access the store depends on the IP laws of THAT area. Hence, multiple stores.

 

[domlanic]

Intellectual property rights vary from country to country, that's one reason. There actually IS a global iTunes store in the sense that it's all Apple-controlled, but what you can do in any given location from which you access the store depends on the IP laws of THAT area. Hence, multiple stores.

Again, why not a SINGLE iTunes/apps store in the USA? Another problem is language- here in Thailand there are Apple stores and distributors but English? Hardly anywhere.

 

[MacInWin]

Again, why not a SINGLE iTunes/apps store in the USA? Another problem is language- here in Thailand there are Apple stores and distributors but English? Hardly anywhere.

Apple would be perfectly happy to have ONE store, but the problem is that because laws differ from country to country, as I said, they would still have to customize what YOU can buy from Thailand to conform with Thai law. And Apple is not the only vendor with that challenge. I want a book in Kindle format that Amazon.com, in the US, doesn't have, but Amazon.co.uk does have. But I can't because the publishers haven't made the Kindle versions available outside the UK. That's how international law works...you come under the jurisdiction of the location where you happen to live or be.

I'm not sure what your comment about English is meant to convey. Are you complaining that in Thailand the store is in Thai, or that it is in English? Surely you cannot be critical of Apple for using a native language of the country! You are ONE user of English as opposed to thousands of users who speak and use Thai.